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Salawati Grabs Awards at New York’s Gotham Screen Film Festival
Award-winning Singapore film Salawati took home another top prize after being named Best Feature at the 2009 Gotham Screen Film Festival in New York. Singaporean Zarina Safuan was honored with the Best Actress award for her role as the tragic Siti. This is the second Best Feature award for Salawati in 2009, having won at the Asian Hot Shots Berlin Film Festival in January.
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The Gotham Screen Film Festival & Screenplay Contest ran from 20 to 25 October at the Tribeca Cinemas in New York City. Writer-director Marc X Grigoroff was unable to attend, but spoke by phone to Festival Associate Director Dana Bower after the winners were announced. “She told me the audience was very taken by the film’s depiction of Singapore’s multicultural society, and that its portrayal of Islam makes it a particularly relevant film for New Yorkers.”
Best Actress Zarina Safuan was at first reluctant to take on the role of Siti. “Marc eventually talked me into it, although I never dreamed of winning an award,” she says. “It was totally unexpected, but when the shock wore off I was very, very happy.” Although she has little acting experience, Zarina is very familiar with the entertainment industry, having worked as a VJ and Senior Director of Programming at MTV Asia. She is currently a part-time DJ at Warna 94.2FM.
Ironically, Grigoroff had not planned to enter the festival. He credits the Singapore Film Festival (SFC) for changing his mind. “Apparently the SFC sent them a brochure in which Salawati is described. Based on that, the festival requested a screener and later selected the film for competition. If it weren’t for the SFC, we wouldn’t even have been there.”
Salawati is the story of a 12-year-old Singaporean-Malay girl who witnesses the death of her older brother. Her life intersects with a group of Indian couriers and a troubled Chinese family. It is a story of survival, highlighting the fragile nature of human relationships while challenging the accepted definitions of morality, mercy and forgiveness.
For more information about the Gotham Screen Film Festival, visit gothamscreen.com
Contact Marc X Grigoroff on 9626 2114. |
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